Venezuela repeats at Miss Universe contest

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Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez, left, reacts as Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza, also of Venezuela, places the Miss Universe 2009 sash on her at the end of the Miss Universe beauty pageant in Nassau, Bahamas, Sunday. — AP

NASSAU, Aug 24 (AP): Miss Venezuela was the fairest of them all once again, winning the 2009 Miss Universe crown for the second year straight and the sixth time since the pageant's creation.
Dressed in a flowing red gown, 18-year-old Stefania Fernandez hugged the runner-up from the Dominican Republic and danced in joy as her victory was announced Sunday.
The crown briefly fell to the floor as it passed from one Venezuelan beauty to the next.
But Fernandez said there was time for outgoing Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza to whisper in her ear that she must have worked hard for Venezuela to win consecutive crowns.
"What do we Venezuelans have?" Fernandez, an international relations student, told reporters after the pageant. "That we are ourselves."
The other top-five finalists were runner-up Ada Aimee de la Cruz, followed by Miss Kosovo, Droga Ganusha; Miss Australia, Rachael Finch; and Miss Puerto Rico, Mayra Matos Perez.
During a question-and-answer segment with the five top finalists, Fernandez said she believed women have overcome obstacles such as hitting the proverbial glass ceiling.